Installation of a valve in a pipeline

Abstract

A process and apparatus for installing a valve in a pipeline while the pipeline is pressurized, and without leakage of pipeline media. A valve body is formed by attaching a sleeve with an annular space to a pipeline, filling the annular space with curable material, and then machining a cylindrical hole through the pipe, into which a valve is inserted.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of installing a valve in an existing pipeline, the method comprising: attaching a sleeve about the pipeline; filling an annular space between the sleeve and the pipeline with a solidifiable material; solidifying the solidifiable material within the annular space to form a solidified material; attaching a temporary valve to the sleeve; machining a cylindrical hole through the solidified material and through a section of the pipeline; removing the section of the pipeline from the sleeve; attaching a valve insertion apparatus including a pressurized chamber containing a valve cartridge to the temporary valve attached to the sleeve; and replacing the removed section of the pipeline with the valve cartridge sized to replace the removed section, the valve cartridge including a full port valve opening having an opening diameter corresponding to a diameter of the pipeline. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a ball valve. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the valve cartridge includes an adapter for aligning with the pipeline, a plurality of seal grooves in an outer surface, and at least one sealing member that fits into at least one of the seal grooves. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a sleeve opening spaced apart from the pipeline, and the solidified material fills an area between the sleeve opening and the pipeline. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the cylindrical hole is less than a diameter of the sleeve opening. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical hole has a diameter larger than a pipeline diameter, a valve cartridge is correspondingly sized to the diameter of the cylindrical hole, and the full port valve opening has an opening diameter corresponding to the pipeline diameter. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inserting a cylindrical valve cartridge into the cylindrical hole. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching the temporary valve over a sleeve opening in the sleeve before removing the section. 
     
     
       9. A method of installing a valve in an existing pipeline, the method comprising: attaching a sleeve about a pipeline; filling an annular space between the sleeve and the pipeline with a liquid curable material; curing the curable material within the annular space; attaching a temporary valve to the sleeve; machining a cylindrical hole having a diameter larger than a pipeline diameter in the cured curable material and extending through all sides of the pipeline to remove a section of the pipeline from the sleeve; removing the section of the pipeline from the sleeve; attaching a valve insertion apparatus including a sealed chamber containing a ball valve to the temporary valve attached to the sleeve; and replacing the removed section of the pipeline with the ball valve including a full port valve opening having an opening diameter corresponding to a diameter of the pipeline. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising attaching the temporary valve to the sleeve before the machining. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising closing the temporary valve after removing the section of the pipeline, and attaching the valve insertion apparatus to the temporary valve. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the temporary valve is attached to a flange of the sleeve about a sleeve opening. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve includes a flange about a sleeve opening and a machining apparatus seals the sleeve opening during the machining. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising closing a temporary valve over the sleeve opening after machining. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ball valve comprises a valve cartridge correspondingly sized to the cylindrical hole, the valve cartridge including an adapter for aligning with the pipeline, wherein upon insertion in the cylindrical hole, the valve cartridge has a first end on a first side of the pipeline and an opposing second end disposed beyond an opposing second side of the pipeline to align the full port valve opening with a passageway of the pipeline. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the valve cartridge comprises a plurality of seal grooves in an outer surface, and at least one sealing member that fits into at least one of the seal grooves. 
     
     
       17. A valve system for an existing pipeline, comprising: a sleeve forming an internal annular space and including an attachment flange surrounding a sleeve opening; a liquid curable material to fill and solidify within the internal annular space; a temporary valve fitting the attachment flange and over the sleeve opening; a ball valve cartridge having a circumference correspondingly sized to the sleeve opening, and including a full port valve opening having an opening diameter corresponding to a diameter of the pipeline; and a valve insertion apparatus including a sealed chamber containing the ball valve and adapted to attach to the temporary valve. 
     
     
       18. The valve system of  claim 17 , wherein the ball valve cartridge comprises an adapter for aligning with a cut formed in the pipeline. 
     
     
       19. The valve system of  claim 17 , wherein the ball valve cartridge comprises a plurality of seal grooves in an outer surface and at least one sealing member that fits into at least one of the seal grooves.